Business growth often comes at a personal cost, but it doesn’t have to. Women entrepreneurs face unique challenges when building companies, from accessing capital to securing major contracts. The path forward requires strategic thinking and understanding systems that already exist to support women-owned businesses. Jo Rawald, business growth architect and CEO of Queen Kong Consulting, has helped women secure over $90 million in contracts.
Legacy Requires Alignment, Not Sacrifice
Most people assume legacy demands sacrifice. Work harder, sleep less, prove you can handle anything that comes your way. Rawald grew up watching that mindset wear down the people she loved most. Her mother, who spoke little English, worked relentlessly to keep the family afloat. Days began in a factory at six in the morning and ended late at night waiting tables in a Chinese restaurant. The breaking point came in 2006, when her mother took her own life. That loss permanently reshaped how Rawald thinks about work and success. “Everything I do in business and for women, I do as a testament to my mom. Because life isn’t about surviving the day,” she says. The experience left her with a hard truth: enduring is not the same as truly living.
Today, she teaches her clients a different path. “Legacy requires alignment, not sacrifice. Let me be clear, your legacy doesn’t require your life.” Instead of chasing hustle culture’s endless grind, she challenges women entrepreneurs to pursue impact without exhaustion. “So many women believe that success means working harder, longer, and proving that we can handle it all. But burnout is waiting around the corner,” she warns. For Rawald, building a legacy means creating a life you can sustain and a business that reflects your values. The message is simple: fulfillment grows from alignment, not from sacrificing yourself in the process.
Certify And Then Monetize
Here’s something that might surprise you. Women own 39 percent of businesses in America. On the surface, that sounds impressive. But look closer. “Do you know that out of that 39 percent, only 1 percent of these businesses are certified as women-owned?” Rawald asks. The math is staggering. The overwhelming majority of women entrepreneurs are missing out on opportunities they may not even realize exist. Certification changes the landscape entirely. “Once you get your business certified as a woman-owned business, you will have leapfrogged over 99 percent of your competition,” Rawald explains. With certification, doors that were previously closed begin to open. Government contracts suddenly become attainable. Corporate partnerships that once felt out of reach start to make sense. Grant funding that was invisible before becomes visible and available.
The impact is even more striking in the corporate world. Three-quarters of Fortune 1000 companies run supplier diversity programs, many of them specifically seeking certified women-owned businesses. “You become a preferred vendor for government contracts, for large corporate partnerships, and a recipient for grants and for-profit business funding,” Rawald says. And the opportunity is not symbolic. The financial upside is significant. “Being certified will unlock access to over 36 billion dollars in untapped grants and contracts,” she reveals. That is real money waiting for women who take the certification process seriously.
The problem is that most women business owners never hear about these pathways because they are not connected to the right systems or networks. That is where Rawald comes in. She guides women through the process of securing certifications not only for women-owned businesses but also for minority-owned, LGBTQ+, and veteran-owned companies. “I help women get certified across various categories. Then I show you how to turn those certifications into six and seven figure revenue streams,” she explains.
For Rawald, certification is more than paperwork. It is a strategy for building wealth, scaling businesses, and creating legacies that go beyond survival.
Build Power Systems, Not Pressure Systems
Growing a business does not have to mean working yourself into the ground. Rawald learned this lesson by watching her mother’s relentless cycle of exhaustion. Her philosophy is rooted in building what she calls power systems rather than pressure systems. “The real secret here is systems. Don’t scale by working more hours. You scale your business by building structures that protect your time, energy, and peace,” she emphasizes. Her background as a Lean Six Sigma black belt gives her an edge many business consultants lack. “I build Lean Six Sigma powered systems that grow revenue, streamline operations, and amplify visibility,” Rawald explains. The purpose is not just higher profits. It is about designing businesses that function smoothly even when the owner is not working nonstop.
The traditional narrative tells women they need to push themselves to the breaking point in order to succeed. Rawald challenges that belief directly. “If you’ve been told that building a business means breaking yourself, let me be the first to say they were wrong.” Her message cuts through the noise of hustle culture that glorifies sacrifice over sustainability. For her, building wealth does not mean burning out, and leadership does not mean losing yourself in the process. “You can lead without losing yourself. You can build wealth without burning out,” she insists. The key lies in creating a business that reflects your values and authenticity rather than copying outdated expectations of what success should look like.
Connect with Jo Rawald on LinkedIn to explore how certification can unlock new business opportunities.
